Salter tapped to represent South Carolina Quarter Horse Assoc.

Tara Salter was named the South Carolina Quarter Horse Association Queen. Tara Salter is living the life of a queen and she has the crown to boot.

Tara has been crowned the South Carolina Quarter Horse Association Queen and will vie for a national title in October.

The 2008 Edmund Burke Academy graduate earned the state level honor after demonstrating her knowledge of horses and the Quarter Horse breed on a written test, in an interview and in the saddle. Part of the competition required her to be judged on her riding abilities.

The 20-year-old nursing student has been showing horses for about eight years with local trainer Terri Layer of Cross Ridge Ranch.

South Carolina was where Tara competed in her first event and where she has made the most appearances since. Her experiences there prompted her to enter the queen competition in that state.

“I just felt it was more of an honor to represent the state I grew up showing in and has supported me for so long,” she said.

Tara will spend the next five months preparing to contend for the title of All-American Quarter Horse Congress Queen.

The weeklong competition, to be held in Ohio, will enable her to make some serious contacts in the industry as well as develop some new friendships with other state queens from around the country. If she wins, she’ll have a chance to represent the American Quarter Horse Association at a number of national events and ceremonies throughout the following year.

Though the competition will be stiff, Tara’s busy preparing by studying her rulebook, brushing up on her knowledge of the breed and polishing her interview skills. She’s confident but she’s not dismissing nerves just yet.

“I’m a little nervous because this is new territory for me,” she said, before letting out a laugh. “I’ve never done anything like this … competing against a bunch of girls for a crown.”

ABOUT THE QUEEN Name: Tara Salter Age: 20 Horse Sense: Tara adds this honor to a long list of achievements including placing in the top 10 in her class at the AQHA Youth World Show and earning the AQHA Region 10 Experience All- Around title and the Youth AQHA Championship.

Family: Tara is the daughter of Phillip and Shirley Salter and granddaughter of Joyce Salter and the late Avery Salter of Waynesboro, Regis Moore of Millen and Clifford and Kathy Wise of Brooklet.